Method of equalizing temperatures by ventilation



July 26, 1949' R.' sTEvENsoN 2,477,152

U METHOD OF EQUALIZING TEMPERATURES BY VENTILATION Filed Feb. 28. 194e lNvEN'ToR Kaas/.vr Srfvewso/v BY 5%@ w JWM ATTORNEYS Patented July 26,1949

UNITEDI STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD oF EQUALIZING TEMPERATURES BY VENTILATION l Robert Stevenson, Lynbrook, .application February 28, 1946, Serial No. 650,940

- etc. Also in erecting buildings, it often happens that some small and out-of-the-way spaces are sealed oil from the atmosphere. However created, these usually small spaces are seldom vented, by louvres or otherwise, either because of the expense or difilculty involved, or because the introduction ofA oddly situated Ventilating means adversely aiects the appearance of the building. One of the more serious effects of temperature diierentials between vented and sealed spaces is to cause condensation in one or the other, depending on the season of the year, with its injurious after-effects.

The main object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a method and means of equalizing the temperature between vented and sealed spaces in buildings.

Another object of my invention is the provision of ducts and the location thereof as to bring sealed and vented spaces into communication.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a method and means of equalizing temperatures between sealed and air-vented spaces in building structures which comprises providing hollow ducts and bringing one end thereof into communication with a sealed space and bringing the` other end of the duct into communication with a vented space.

Still another object ofv my invention is to so locate and arrange these ducts as to promote and increase `air exchange as between vented and sealed areas.

I have discovered that it is possible to accomplish my objects and to equalize the temperatures between vented and sealed spaces, by providing a communicatingy duct or channel or a plurality thereof therebetween, and by so locating andsecuring the duct or ducts as not to interfere with the conventional insulating methods, means or materials.

In the drawings annexed hereto, forming a part hereof:

i 1 claim. (ci. sis-32)V y 2 Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper' portions of a conventional single spanroofed building, showing one modification of my invention applied thereto; f

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical cross-sectional views through. similar conventional" structures showing a modified arrangement of my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 5 .is a plan view of the arrangement shown in Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section through a` slightly different lform of building, showing still another arrangement of my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-section through still another form of building, showing the application of a modified form of I ny invention applied thereto; and

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. '1.

Referring to Figs. land 2, reference numeral I0 indicates a conventional single span-roofed building, the two sides I2, I4 of the roof rising to crown I6. Each side comprises a plurality of rafters I8, I8 and a, covering 20 (which may include sheathing, tiling, shingling or the like conventional outer material). The 'lower ends I1 of roof sides I2, I4 are conventionally closed ofi by cross-strips I9. The lower edges of each slanting roof section are rested atop side walls 22, l22. With slanted roof sides, a roughly triangular space is outlined at the top of the building, and where this is sought to be utilized, and alivable or usable room formed therefrom, knee-walls 24, 25-24, 25 are provided in from the lower edges of the roof sides, resting atop ceiling C. The arrangement provides a walled room as 26 at the top of the structure and sealed spaces 28, 28, behind and between the knee-walls 24, 25--24, 25 and the roof ends. tionally ventilated, as by windows or the like (not shown), and when-as is usually the case-the attic room 26 is ceilinged, as at 29, a triangular space 30 at the very top, of the building is conventionally ventilated, as by louvres 32, or the like.

When buildings of the type illustrated are insulated, either sheet material or loose fibrous material 34, 34 may be dis'posedbetween walls 2li, 25, inside ceiling 29, and on the underside of the roof sections I2, I4 and between the roof rafters I8, I8, depending on whether the walls and ceilings are single or double.` If single, insulation in sheet form is preferably applied, but if double,.

as shown, loose fibrous insulating material may This attic room is conven members.

be used, blown into the space between the double walls or ceilings, all resulting in a sealing oil' of spaces as '28, 28. These sealed spaces as 28, 28

- will become excessively hot in warm weather and cause condensation in cold weather.

In order to relieve this condition, and in order to dispense with the necessity for any additional vents to the outside for these sealed areas, I provide a plurality of ducts or channels as 36, 36, and so dispose these as to bring one open end thereof into direct communication with a sealed space as 28 and the other open end into direct `communication with a, space either. adjacent or remote) which is vented to the atmosphere, as 30.

One iorm of air duct or channel 36, as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 comprises a relatively shallow U- shaped casing, of wood, tin, berboard, or the like, having wing members or ears 38 by which the ducts can be nail or screw-40 secured to the sides of rafters I8 and the adjacent undersides of the roof. The ducts or channels may be rectangular, thin, flattened tubular sections, so as to occupy little space and permit the application of a. proper amount of insulating material. As many ducts as may be needed or desired may be used, and they will present no obstacle or impediment to the application of insulating material, either the loose, fibrous variety or the sheet form.

As shown in Fig. 2, a plurality of ducts 36, 36 may be provided between the vented space as 38 and the sealed space as 28, as to assure good circulation and to equalize the temperatures therebetween, and relieve hot pockets in sealed space as 28 in the summer time and prevent condensation of moisture therein in cold weather.'

The ducts may takevarious forms or shapes as above indicated. As shown in Figs, 1 to 6, they may comprise wide U-shaped 4trough-like As shown in Fig. 8, they may comprise hollow fiat and thin tubular sections, and they may be secured either by supporting brackets as 90, and nails 92 (Fig. 8) or by nails, staples or screws 40 (Figs. 1, 2).

In all the iigures parts similar to those in Figs. 1 and 2 are indicated by similar reference numerals. In the modification of lmy invention illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and` 5, the successively placed ducts are staggered in height in order to promote more rapid air movement in the direction of the arrows, the cold air moving downwardly and the warmer air rising upwardly. In Fig. 3, is illustrated the placing of the lower end of the duct 36 near the bottom of a sealed chamber or space 28, the cold air from vented space or chamber 30 passing downwardly through the duct. In Fig. 4, there is shown the next duct 36a disposed and secured so that the lower end thereof is near the top of sealed chamber 28, abetting the movement of warm air in chamber 28 up the lduct and into vented chamber 30, the schematic arrangement being diagrammatically shown in Fig. 5, with alternately disposed ducts being staggered in height.

In Fig. 6, I have illustrated my invention as applied to the problem of equalizing the temperatures between sealed pockets or spaces as 60 in lower positions of buildings, with louvre 32 vented portions thereof as 38 in the vupper portions thereof. I provide an elongated hollow duct or channel 62 and secure same to a wall 64 or other support so that the lower portion thereof is in 4 communication with the sealed space 60, and as shown, duct 62 may be of such length that the upper end thereof may be received into and communicate with duct 36 (as in Figs. 1 to 5), As will be readily understood, spaces 60 may be directly equalized with vented spaces 86, or through intermediately located spaces as 28, as desired or convenient for any particular installation, the desideratum. being the placing and locating of ducts between vented and sealed spaces so as to equalize the temperatures therebetween. Single, elongated ducts may be used directly as between a lower sealed space 60 and an upper vented space 38, or ducts 62 may be led from a lower sealed space 60 into communication with the ducts as 36 from an intermediately located sealed space to an upper vented space 30, all as will be readily understood.

Figs. 7 and 8 merely illustrate the use of brackets as to fasten ducts 36 either to the walls or roofs as by nails or screws 92, 92 between rafters i8, t8 instead of the rafters as shown in Fig. 2.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

The method of modifying an already existing building to equalize temperatures therein as between an air-sealed area therewithin adjacent the eaves of the roof and an area adjacent the roof ridge in communication with the atmosphere, which method comprises positioning a plurality of elongated hollow ducts wholly within the outer walls of the building, with one end of each duct communicating with the sealed area and the other end of each duct communicating with the area in communication with the atmosphere, the lower end of each alternate duct being spaced below the lower end of each intermediately disposed duct, and the upper end of each intermediatelydisposed duct being spaced above the upper end of each alternate duct, whereby to promote more rapid air movement between the treatedl areas through the ducts.

ROBERT STEVENSON.

. REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 143,309 Stimson Sept. 30, 1873 255,608 Eaton Mar. 28, 1882 375,228 Tilden Dec. 20, 1887 445,486 Andrews e-- Jan. 27, 1891 832,247 Edwards Oct. 2, 1906 1,086,031 Davis Feb. 3, 1914 1,496,670 Floyd June 3, 1924 1,597,002 Schiesswohl Aug. 24, 1926 1,606,659 Moore Nov. 9, 1926 1,689,246 Knapen Oct. 30, 1928 2,107,523 Coe Feb. 8, 1938 2,138,690 Altenkirch Nov. 29, 1938 2,318,820 Voigt et al. May 11, 1943 2,320,596 Henney June 1, 1943 OTHER REFERENCES Preventing Condensation in Insulated Structures, from Architectural Record, March 1938, page 119. 

